Stock-feed mechanism



July 29, 1958y A. H. JoBERT 2,844,863

STOCK-FEED MECHANISM Filed Nov. 15, 1954 4 sheets-sheet 1l Arma@ H. aafrATTORNEYS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTOR N EY5` A. H. JOBERT Nm. NY

NN if ululunwllldnhuulnmmw July 29, 1958 STOCK-FEED MECHANISM Filed NOV.15, 1954 July 29, 1958 A. H. JoBER'r 2,844,863

STOCK-FEED MEcHANIsM Filed Nov. 15, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fie. 4. 3

Arran/Enf July 29, 1958 A. H. JoBERT STOCK-FEED MECHANISM v4Sheets-Shale?.

Filed NOV. 15, 1954 .LK. rll A FIG. 5a.

INVENTOR.

HFT/fw? l/BE/PT BY E Arran/5y.;

United States Patent() STOCK-FEED MECHANISM Arthur H. Jobert, 'NewBritain, Conn., assiguor 'to The New Britain Machine Company, NewBritain, vConn.,-a lcorporation of 'Connecticut Application Novemberl,-1-954, Serial No. 468,779

My invention relates torotating machine tools, such as I automatic screwmachines, and in particular to-a :stockfeeding mechanism therefor. ThisVapplication covers improvements over and modifications of the mechanismdisclosed in my United States -Patent 12,659,127.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved machine of thecharacter indicated.

It-is another object to 4provide animproved feed smechanism for amachine of the character indicated.

It is a further object to provide an improved means for automaticallyshutting down a part of the machine when automatically fed stock has:been consumed -to a point beyond which no further use may be made offthe piece being fed.

It is also an object to provide .an .improved Afeed shutoif mechanism inan indexing machine ofthe character indicated, wherein the feed will notbe shut oi until the last usable section `of -a piece of stock has been.fully worked and only when the spindle which needs stockreplenishmentis in the indexed station at which {stockloading and feeding takesplace.

It is a still further object to provide au improvedstockfeeding andrestocking mechanism that may reduce .the number of pieces rejectablefor having been insutliciently fed.

it is another object to provide an improved mechanism of the characterindicated which will meet 'the above objects and at the same timeprovide vaccess to the spindle at the loading station, as for'settingthe spindle-adjusting nut from the operators side of the machine.

It is a general object `to meet the above objectsl with a mechanism that-is completely automatic, that requires y a minimum of manualadjustments and which With certain additional elements may provide for asimplili'ed setting up and Yrestocking of the machine.

Other objects and various further features of the invention will bepointed out or will occur to v'those skilled in the art from a readingof the following "specilication in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings. Infsaid drawings, which show, for illustrative purposes only,a preferred form of the invention:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a machine incorporating features of theinvention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially inthe plane Z--Z of Fig. 1 and constituting essentially a rear elevationof my mechanism, with -the back plate and operating handle removed;

Briey stated, my ,invention contemplates an kimproved stock-feedmechanism which may employ conventional feed-cam .and feedfiingermeans,.but I .interpose novel means responsive .to failure Aof the feed-fingermeans -to maintain grasping contact with :the stock which is vbeing,

fed; upon disengagement Yof the feed-finger means .from the stock, thevfeed means `may he eifectively--disabledr In the indexing machine vinYconnection with which a preferred form is to be disclosed, "thisdisabling `is arranged to occur after .the last .usablepiece of -stockv.has been completely worked '1(i. e. after cut-off) and when the colletor chuck containing .the useless piece of ystock is positioned for stockfeeding. .In .addition `to `such automatic operation, the .stockfeedmechanism may'also 'be disabled Yat will, if desired.

The specific form to be described .represents great simplification overprevious mechanisms, in kthat certain parts vof the actuating mechanism.are caused `to .perform a plurality of independent land interrelatedfunctions. In particular, the mechanism maybe so compact andsimple a'sto tit in alower quadrant of the works of themachine so that, in thecase 'of application to ,a mu'ltiplespindle bar machine, the feedout or`loading-spindlestation .need not be one of the 'upper stations. Thismeans that ready access may be available from the operators .side ofthemachine, as for Iperforming adjustments at ythe back end of fthe spindleat the tloading station..

Referring to the drawings, my invention is shown in application to amultiple-spindle automatic indexing machine, which maybe a bar machine.The` machine shown happens to be of thesiX-spindle variety,- and in Fig.f2 two` off the spindles 1Z0-I1 are shown revolubly supported in anindexible spindle carrier '12, within the `case 13 yat the rear end ofthe machine. The machine may include a number of -forming slides (notshown) Vvfor forming and cut-off operations when .the spindles(I0-11).are at the various indexed stations of the machine. YForend-working operations, tools may be mounted at various .positionsprovided by a motor 18 to mechanism within the power case 17 iat .theright end of the machine, and 4a ldrivesha'it 18 i(.l-"ig, 2a) .may passthrough the arbor 16 to transmit A stock power to a center gear 19,meshing with a plurality of spindle-drive gears 19 at the rear end ofthe spindles, all as more fully disclosed in the above identifiedpatent.

The machine shown happens to be of the internallyfed variety. Thus, eachspindle may be equipped with a collet to hold bar stock, as at 22 forthe case of spindle 11. Since the invention is directed primarily tostockfeeding and collet-actuating functions taking place at the rear endof the spindle, the collet 22 does not appear in detail in the drawings,but will be understood to be actuable by longitudinally guidedchuck-actuating means 25; means 25, via a collet tube 22l coacts withthe collet opening-and-closing means of each spindle when it is indexedto the loading station, as is well known in the art. Collet-actuatingforces may be supplied to the member 25 by a cam 30 carried by a camdrum 30 driven from main camshaft 21 which controls all automaticfunctions. The camshaft 21 may be rotated once for each indexed positionof the spindle carrier, so that a collet or chucking operation may takeplace once Ifor each indexed operation of the spindle carrier lbut onlyat the spindle location or locations whichare to be loaded.

For stock-feeding purposes, I employ feed-finger means 32' at theforward end of a feed tube 32 (Figs. 2 and 2a) within each collet tube,and the feed-finger portion thereof is preferably as far forward aspracticable. Feeding and withdrawing thrusts for the feed tube 32 may beapplied at the outer ring 33 of an antifriction thrust bearing exposedbeyond the rear end of the spindle and collet tube. In the form shown,the stock 22 is supplied to the various feed tubes for all the spindlesfrom a stock-reel mechanism 34, which is indexible with the spindlecarrier 12. The stock reel and various automatic features thereof may beas disclosed in my United States Patent 2,320,039, issued May 25, 1943.

Stock-feeding forces may be derived from a rise 37 on the cam drum 30,said rise 37 being timed to cause retracting displacement of the feedfingers 32 of tube 32 at the loading station 11 just prior to openingactuation of the collet means 27. The stock-feed cam prole 37 mayprovide feeding action for the feed tube 32 when the collet jaws areopened. The feed motion may be translated from the cam drum 30 to thetube 32 by means of a rocking feed lever, as in said Patent 2,659,127,but, in the form shown, the cam-follower roll 38 is carried directly bya feed slide 39 having means for supporting a feed-shoe part 40 and aretracting-shoe part 41, to be described in greater detail. Thefeed-slide means 39 is shown guided 'by twin arbors or bars 47--48,which may be supported at both ends in the frame of the machine andwhich, in the form shown, extend to the back plate 49 of the case 13.The same arbors 47-48 are shown also sldably supporting the chucking orcolletactuating slide 25. A tension spring 51 may constantly urge thefeed-slide means 39 in a feeding direction so as to load the followerroll 38 against the profile 37 of the feed cam. In the form shown, thespring 51 is anchored at the forward end to the frame of the machine, asto a fixed part (not shown) within the case 13, while the other end ofspring 51 is engaged by means 52 to a bracket 53 on the feed-slide means39.

In accordance with the invention, I provide means for automaticallyshutting down certain parts of the machine, including the stock-feedmechanism and preferably also such other functions as spindle-carrierindexing, `collet operation, and the like, as may be controlled from themain cam-shaft 21, such shutdown occurring whenever the stock 22 Withinany particular spindle has been consumed to a point :beyond which it isno longer considered useful. The shut-down means may be effective whollyat the feed-out station; that is, while a given spindle is at thefeed-out station, my mechanism may, not only detect a shortage of stockin said given spindle, but also shut down the camshaft soon enough sothat new stock may be loaded into said spindle without the need to waitfor a succession of indexing operations.

To detect the exhausted stock condition, I employ means responsive to adisengagement of the feed-linger means from a piece of stock that is tooshort. Such means may include a resiliently opposed lost-motionconnection `between the feed-slide means 39 and the feednger means 32,the connection being stressed for one of the strokes (feed or drawback)of the feed-slide means 39. If there is sufficient stock 22 at thefeed-out station 11, the frictional engagement of the feed-linger meansor tube 32 with the stock may be as great as to compel take-up of thelost motion before said one stroke can be effective, but, if there isinsuicient stock, the lost motion lmay not take place during said onestroke, and means responsive to the displacement of the lost motionconnection during said one stroke may initiate the shutdown functions.

In the form shown, the lost-motion connection is arranged to beeffective during the drawback stroke, and the shutdown functions may beinitiated when or after the feed ngers of tube 32 have slipped olf theback end of a piece of stock 22 that is too short for further use. Thelost-motion connection may include the drawback shoe 41, shown formed atone end 55 of an arm or lever pivotally supported on slide means 39 by apin 56. The arm or lever 55 represents the lost-motion element betweenthe feed-slide means 39 and the fingers of the feed tube 32, the lostmotion being shown as an angular lost motion, as -best'appreciated inthe aspect displayed in Fig. 4, in the displacement between thesolid-line and phantom-line shapes shown. The lever 55 is shown toinclude a second end 62 supporting trip means 63 on an extension arm 64,to be described in greater detail.

Resilient means may be employed to urge lever 55 to a given limit of thelost motion; but, in the form shown, a spring 57 contained within a bore58 in the feed slide 39 drives a guided abutment 59 against the heel ofthe lever 55, thereby serving a spring-detent function and resilientlyurging lever 55 into the position shown in Fig. 4, regardless of thedirection lever 55 may have been displaced away from said position. Theslidable abutment 59 may have a reduced shank with a threaded end 60projecting externally of the slide 39 so that, by means of a stop nut61, a forward limit of spring-urged action may be determined.

With the parts thus far described, and for each feed of stock, the feedshoe 41 is solidly backed by abutment at 43 within the feed slide 39 sothat, upon driving abutment of the shoe 41 with the thrust ring 33,there may be positive engagement between the feed slide 39 and the ngersof feed tube 32; on such occasion, of course, the new stock will havebeen fed out to the stock-stop 20, and the collet or chuck will havebeen actuated to hold the stock. Thus, for each drawback stroke and aslong as a suliicient length of usable stock remains, the fingers 32 offeed tube 32 will be in tight dragging relation with the stock 22, so asto rock the arm or lever 55 clockwise in a compression of spring 57 andinto a firm abutment of the lever end 62 with the abutment surface 43,the lever 55 then being in the position shown by phantom outline in Fig.4. If, during the drawback stroke, the lingers of the particular feedtube 32 at the loading station 11 should slip off the end of the stock,the force of spring 57 is preferably suicient to displace the shoe 41through its lost-motion travel to take up the solid-line position ofFig. 4, there being relatively little resistance then offered by thefeed tube 32 and its thrust ring 33, even during the full course of thedrawback stroke.

To initiate the shut-down functions, a trip member or pawl 63 may bepoised to trip declutching means for the main camshaft 21 whenever thearm or lever 45 and :extension 264 are in the solid-line positions AvofFig. 44 lduring a drawback stroke (representing the exhaustedstockcondition). On the other hand, Aif itherefis usable stock 22 still to befed, the drawback stroke may cause .the trip -63 to assume a displaced,position out of possible .engagement with 'the tripping mechanism, sothat no declutching of the main camshaft need then result.

The tripping mechanism to be actuated by member 63 may compriseessentially a longitudinally adjustably positionable abutment 65, shownformed at the `end of Aa bracket 66 and secured 'by clamp means 67 alongan elongated bar, rod, or guide 68; in order that trip abutment 65 shallnot be actuated .for normal feed cycles determined Vby cam 37, l prefertosecure clamp 67 when cam 37 is on its high spot, and to allow a slightlongiltudinal fc'learance between trip members 6.3--65 when clamp =67.is set, as will lbe understood. The '-bar 68 is shown pivotallysupported atene end by a bracket 69 Ion the feed slide 39 `and at theother end by the rear .frame plate 49 of the machine.

The tnippingimech'anism may further comprise alatchtrip arm :70 carried`by `the shaft or rod 68 and, therefore, 'actuated ywhenever trip V63intercepts and angularly displaces abutment 65. The latch-trip arm 70may have clogging engagement with a latch member 71 which may 'bepivotally mounted on a longitudinally extending `pin yor stud 72 on theinside of the rear frame member 49. A tension spring 73 -between latchmembers 70-71 may `serve to hold the latche'd position. When latched 'as'show n in Fig. 2, with the .latch end of member 70 in the :notch 89' ofmember .71, the abutment 74 on the latch member '71 may clear theactuating button yof a vnormally closed electric switch '7S so that vthecontacts vthereof (through relay 76) may energize solenoid 77 yto.permit continuous automatic operation -of the machine.

The trip member 63 carried by the arm rand Iilever 64--55 is preferablyin the nature of a pawl, pivoted at l"pin 46 and resiliently urged, asby spring means 45, ragainst an abutment 63 forming part `of theextension 64, for 'assumption of a normal position, best shown `in Fig.3. With this relationship, positive coaction between trip member or pawl63 and the disabling abutment or trip 65 is possible only during aldrawback stroke; to prevent possible actuation of Vrocl 64 (andtherefore also of latch members 7.0-71) during a feeding stroke, thespring 73 holding latch members .7.0--71 together is preferablysubstantially stronger `than the 'spring =45 for pawl 63, so that pawl63 maypmerely ratchet or ride idly over abutment 65 during a feedstroke, as will be understood. As long as there remains suicient stockto be fed, the trip armor extension '64 (with its pawl 63) will bethrust Iaside (to the extent of the lost motion in the mounting yoflever 55) with each drawback actuation of the feed slide 39. This`action will mean that the pawl 63 may fail to .engage the abutment 65and that the solenoid 77 `may remain 'energized as long as there isusable stock 22 :in the lspindle at the stoc'k feed-out station, atwhich spindle 1'1 is located in Fig. 2.

The stop nut 61 on the Vtail 160 of plunger l59 :will vbe Vseen as ameans for adjusting the yresiliently urged limit of actuation of lever55 and for thus accurately determining the offset position of the trippawl 63 with respect to lthe trip abutment 65. This offset position of.pawl '63 must be longitudinally aligned with abutment 65 duringdrawback of slide 39 and after the feed 'fingers have `slipped off theend of a useless butt of stock 22.

When ie-energized, the solenoid 77 may form part `of a shut-downmechanism described in the above-mentioned Patent 2,320,039 fordisengaging the main-camshaft clutch (not shown) and also, if desired,for applying braking means (not shown) to stop the main camshaft whenthe collet is open and ready to receive a new bar of stock. In Fig. 6,this shutdown mechanism is shown to `include two arms '78--79-, pivoted(to each other and to fthe frame) Vat 80 and effectively disconnected-as long as lthe solenoid 77 is energized. The arm 78 may continuouslyfollow a :tripping cam 81 on the main camshaft 21, and the arm 79 may bein actuating relation with a rocker arm or lever v82. Arm 82 may engagea spool 83 for shifting a clutch throw-out .rod 84 for the main-camshaftclutch. In the form shown, the armature of solenoid 77 is linked b y arod 85 and by a Vlatch rocker arm 86 to 'an extended part of the arm 78,as at the pivot 87.

As indicated, the lmotion of arm 78 in following the cam 81 may bepurely wasted, as long as solenoid 77 remains energized. However, shouldthe feed fingers at the collet end of tube 32 slip oft the end of apiece of stock during a drawback operation, spring 57 may act ondrawback lever 55 to cause a kquick shift in the position of ytrip pawl63 from its inoperative .position (phantom outline in Fig. 4) to itstripping or operative position (shown in solid lines in Fig. 4) and,therefore, into tripping alignment with the abutment 65. Continueddrawback of the feed slide 39 may force the abutment 65 to ride upon thepawl 63 and thus to crank trip arm 70 counterclockwise from the positionshown in solid outline in Fig. 2 to aposition of engagement with thenotch 89 on trip latch 71. This tripping `of the latch follows theresilient urging of spring 73, so that the switch abutment 74 mayactuate switch 75 from its normally closed position, thereby opening thecircuit to relay 76 and terminating the supply of energy to thesolenoid77. The spring 88 between members 78-86 will be immediatelyeffec- .tive to latch .these members 78-86 togetherat 90 so that, ineffect, the members 78-'79-86 constitute a unitary cam follower ridingthe profile of cam 81. vUpon the next rise of the cam-follower arm 78.on cam 81, the members 78-79-86 will operate vas one to yenforce aclutch-disen- .gaging shift of the declutching rod 84, to the left inthe `sense of Fig. 6.

It will be clear that by a proper setting of the tripping cam Si on themain camshaft 21 with relation to the collet-actuating cam (not shown)and to the feed cam 37, the feed mechanism, and, for that matter, valloperations .timed by the main camshaft 21,'may be shut down and thebrake (not shown) automatically applied, so that the collet of thespindle at the feed-out station is open, and the feed slide 39 is fullyforward to receive a new bar of stock, thus facilitating manual removalof the unusuable stock Abutt and the reloadingof spindle 11 with a newbar. Since the drawback surface 37 fof the `feedcontrol cam 3i) occursimmediately prior to the colletactuating function, the fingers of thefeed tube 32 cannot slip on a piece of stock until the last usuable partthereof has been completely worked at all spindle stations, includingthe cut-off station (which may bealso the feed-out station). No partialindexing or cranking need, therefore, be performed manually or otherwisefor a reloading operation, and a minimum of time isconsumed inreloading.

Before fully automatic operation of the machine is again possible, thelatch members -7'1 lmust be reset into a ,position allowing switch toresume itsnormally closed condition, thereby :breaking :or .disabling.the connection between trip ymembers 78-79. In accordance wit-h ,afeature of the invention, I provide for this resetting by means of amulti-purpose manual-control arm `or hand crank 91 which is shown tohave three possible positions and which is accessible behind the rearplate 49 of the machine frame. The normal positioning of the control armor hand crank 91 (that is, the position calling for automatic operation)may be the lower phantom position l ldesignated A in Fig. 2; forsemi-automatic operation, as

fin setting tools, the crank 91 may beset in the interme- `diateposition B; and to condition the machine for `restocking an .emptyspindle, such .as the spindle 11,'the -arm v91 may be shifted to thephantom position desigmated-C.

The arm 91 may be keyed to the guide bar 47 and, when shifted to theposition C (to condition the machine for restocking the spindle 11), theangular displacement of bar 47 will shift a latch-resetting abutment 92from the position shown in solid outline in Fig. 2 to an intermediateposition shown by the phantom outline 92h, corresponding to theintermediate position B of arm 91, and finally to an extreme leftphantom position 92e. In progressing from the position 921: to theposition 92C, the latch-resetting abutment 92 will engage and drivelatch member 71 (via an adjustable abutment 93) in a clockwisedirection, against the action of spring '73 and for a sufficientdisplacement to enable spring 73 to actuate latch arm 70 into theposition shown in solid lines in Fig. 2, that is, in the positionretained by the notch 89 of latch member 71. This movement of latchmember 71 will result in withdrawing switch-actuating abutment 74 fromcontrol of switch 75 so that switch 75 may resume its normally closedcondition, and the trip cam 81 may be rendered ineffective as long asusable stock remains.

It has been indicated that the control crank 91 may perform a number offunctions and that, in the form shown, it may have three positions, bestshown in Fig. 2. Each of these three positions A-B-C may be retained bydetent means best shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The detent may comprise anabutment member 94 carried by the back plate 49 of the frame andprojecting for engagement with the underside of the boss or hub ofhandle 91. The detent 94 may coact with shallow recesses 95-96 when arm91 is to be held in either of the positions C-B, respectively, but whenin the position A, detent 94 is received in an enlarged recess 97 in thehub or boss of arm 91. In order that detent action may be resilientlyapplied, the guide bar 47 to which arm 91 is keyed is mounted for smalllongitudinal displacement action in response to the urging of acompressional spring 98, shown interposed between the latch-resettingmember 92 and the inside surface of the back frame plate 49. Thefunction of the enlarged detent recess 97 will be more fully explainedbelow.

For ease of understanding the operation of the invention, the threepositions A-B-C of the manual control 91 may be as follows (see also thetabulation appearing near the end of this specification). Position A maybe termed the normal position in which fully automatic operation of themachine may proceed. The second or intermediate position B may be termedthe set-up or intermediate position and holds the feed slide in fulldrawn-back position to effectively cancel the stock-feed function whenchecking the setting of tools or for running the machine with asemi-automatic operation, as when feeding stock in one spindle only andstopping he machine, as after each index, in order to check sizes orcutting dimensions; this position will thus be used when setting up anew job or when resetting tools aftera smash-up or other tooldisturbance. The third and other extreme position C of the hand crank 91may be termed the restocking position, as has been more fully explainedabove.

In addition to the use of detent action (at recesses 95-96-97) to retainpositions of handle 91, I nd it desirable to employ positive limits tomovement of crank 91 and have shown a stop pin 99 fixed to the rearplate 49 of the frame. Pin 99 is received in an enlarged recess betweenlimiting abutments U-101, conveniently provided as a part of thelatch-resetting member 92 and fixed to the guide bar 47 (see Fig. 2).

When restocking, and particularly when manually feeding a new piece ofstock into the fingers 32 of the feed tube 32 for a particular spindle,it may be desirable that the drive to the spindles be disengaged. In theform shown, this function is accomplished by de-energizing the mainmotor 18 for the machine whenever the hand-control crank 91 is in therestocking position C. For this purpose, the latch-resetting member 92may (in addition to its other functions described above) directlyactuate a normally closed switch 103 to drop out a control relay 104 forthe motor 18; however, in the form shown, this action is achievedthrough the intervention of the latch member 71 and occurs as latchmember 71 is reset into the position shown in full in Fig. 2. Latchmember 71 may, therefore, carry a further switch-actuating abutment 102.which only actuates switch 103 to open the same when arm 91 is in therestocking position C. It will be recalled that, in the restockingposition C, latch member 71 is driven clockwise to permit latchengagement at 89. Subsequent actuation of hand crank 91 from position Cto either position B or position A will allow latch member 71 to rotatepartially counterclockwise for firm latched engagement at notch 89'; atthe same time, and before reaching position B (in a shift from positionC), switch 103 will be released for assumption of its normally closedcondition, in which condition, of course, the motor relay circuit 104 isconditioned for operation. A manually operated switch 105 in series withswitch 103 may then be used to start the motor 18 and the spindles,while the latch means 70--71, having been reset, is left ready toinitiate another shutdown operation when the stock 22 at some otherspindle may become exhausted.

In bumping stock, as during a manually-performed restocking operation,the feed tube 32 should be bodily displaceable for a substantialfraction of the length of a spindle so that the new piece of stock andthe feed tube 32 may be rammed forward against a forward abutment in thespindle to allow the momentum of the stock to open the feed fingers. Inthe form shown, this forward abutment occurs upon thrust ring 33striking the drawback shoe 41 and upon take-up of the lost motion in therocker arm or lever 55. Depending upon the grip of the feed fingers onthe stock, one or more such sudden abutments may open the feed fingersto permit the stock to extend fully forward, through the collet and tolimiting abutment with the stock stop 20. The way may be cleared for theextended travel required by bumping-out operation, by detiecting thefeed shoe 40 into the position shown in phantom outline in Fig. 4. Thismovement of the shoe 40 may be accomplished as the handle 91 is shiftedinto the restocking position C.

In the form shown, the feed shoe 40 forms part of a lever 107 having atail 108 aligned with the path of movement 109 of an actuating abutment110. Abutment 110 may be adjustably positioned and secured by clamp nut111 at the end of a relieving or feed-shoe-actuating arm 112 having ahub or boss 113 slidably guided on the bar 47 and keyed thereto, as at115 (see Figs. 2 and 5), so that angular actuation of bar 47 by handle91 will result in corresponding travel of the abutment 110 along a path109 (Fig. 2). A compression spring 116 may urge the feed shoe 40 intoits normal position shown in full in Fig. 4, as limited by abutment at117 with a part of the feed slide 39, and the arrangement of parts ispreferably such that no actuation of the lever 107 (from the positionshown in full in Fig. 4) results until after hand crank 91 has beenmoved from the intermediate position B and in the direction of therestocking position C.

In checking the setting of tools, as when setting up the machine or asafter a crack-up in which some tools may have been damaged ordislocated, it may be desirable to operate the machinesemi-automatically and to render the stock-feed functions inoperative inall spindle positions but one. For such eventualities, I provide theintermediate or set-up position B of the control handle 91. In positionB, a one-way engaging clutch mechanism may hold the feed-slide means 39in a substantially drawn-back position. Such clutch mechanism mayutilize a ball element 118 to be wedged between a part carried withlongitudinal movement of the feed slide 39 and a part referencedessentially to the frame. The bar 47 may 9 serve as the vframe referenceanda .wedgesurface 1.119 may be formed in a 4ball-retaining grooveon oneside of the bore in the hub 113 .of .the feedshoe actuating vmember 112.The radial limits .of .the wedge .slope 119 with respect to the radiusof the bar 47 should be such as to bind the ball 118 between surface 119and-bar4-7, -when ever the .slide 39 `is otherwise free @to follow the.urging of spring 51 in the feed direction.

In accordance with a feature of the invention, this freedom for feedaction of slide' 39 is available only when the basic control handle911isfin'p'ositionsA and C; in position B, clutch 118 isYavailabletohold -back slide 39. In position B, a portion of the ball118 is free Ito project a small distance (to the rear .oflhu'b 113')into alimited cam groove 120 (Figs. 2 and 5 )formed lina part '121' ofthe said slide means 39. However, in shifting lthe `control handle 91out of position B and into :eitherip'osition .A or C, the otherwisesmooth at surface 1'21' -of part .121 is forced against the ball 118, tocam or pry-the same out of wedging engagement between surface "119 andbar '47, and -against the actionof a leaf =spring 122,which lightlyloads the one-way clutch element l:1118.

It will be understood that, when handle 91 is in either position A orposition C, the ball -118is held clear -of wedging .surface v119 bythesurface 121' (see Fig. 5a) and that/ball 118 .rides the outsidediameter of bar 47. However, when shifting to position B, groove 120opens the .way for spring '122 to urge the ball yinto wedging contactbetween slope 1-1-9 and baI v47. This wedging contact may be effectiveto yhold the .feed-.slide means .against rthe force of spring 51,regardless `of the drawntbacksposition of the feed .slide 39, and iffree access to the rear ends of the spindles is desired, `the .feedslide .may even be manually drawn back and held at the back :frameplate49.

'lo complete .the identification of parts, I prefer that .a icollar 125ior'other abutment means `be `carried by .the 4bar 47 and inp'ositionto'limit or to determine a foriward Alimit of feed of .the feed.slide .39. This limiting :forward positionm'ay correspond tofthat:maximumforvward-position determined .or permitted .by the profile .37

yofithe lfeed cam. Thus, 'ifthe feed s1ide39 is being fheld `retracted'by .the one-wayiclutch -or vwedge mecha- 'nism .118, yas when the.handle T91 is set in .the intermediate position aB, a :shiftingpf thecontrol handle :91 to either -of ,its :extreme positions A. .or C mayrelease `hall 11S and allow spring P51 tto icarryftheislide 39 fortward.either yto 'the .limiting :abutment afforded "by the :collar i125 ortosome :other longitudinal position, ydeter- Aminedtby engagement "bycamefollower roll 38 with Athe :'camr37.

In .a semi-automatic operation (position B of handle `9.1), .it :may bedesirable Lto have the .machine shut fdown *the reamshaft 21 :('and.hence all operationsttimed thereby) for each rotation of the camshaft.21. Such 'semiautomatic operation may be effected by V-th'e .manualopening of v'a switch 126 in series with fthe normally .closed switch175 :and with .the :relay 75. Thus, with `switch 126 closed .and with.the :hand-crank 291 in its intermediate position IB, the stock-feed:functions may [be disabled "(slide 39 held in drawn-back position by'bau 118)., while' waitingfor the spindle carrier 122 lto index around:to the desired position, Vwhereupzni switch '1126 may be -opened @toVshut down Iean'isha'ft 21 (at the clutch 4throw-out position of camI"81). 'n "such case, the spindles will continue'to rotate, and 'by"throwing in the camshaft-clutch lever "82 `rthe camshaft 231 may againbe started. However, as vlong as switch n1'276 iS open, the camshaftwill .oper-ate only .onerevolution for each clutching operation of lever82. After adjustments are made, the operator .maymove .control .handle91 to its .normal or flower position .the feed tubes .32, which had been.effectively disabled, will .be automatically picked up again by thedraw-back'shoe 41 .and

,to by the 'feed shoe '40 as `the Atubes 32. of successive' spin@ dlesare automatically indexed into the feeding or loading station. It willbe noted that, when the feed slide 39 is released from a drawn-backposition, and should the feed tube 32 at the loading station be at alocation forward of the feed Yshoe A41., the resilient action of vspring.57 vwill permit shoe 41 and lever 55 to ride idly over the thrust Yring33 and to slip automatically to the position shown in full in Fig. 4, inreadiness for fully' automatic operation. j

.If new stock has vjust heenloaded into the machine, it may be that thespindles will have been Irotating while the collet jaws have been openat the vfeed-out station and after the crank 91 .has 'been returned vtoposition A (as when starting the machine after restocking). In suchevent, the stock 22 will have been loosely held in the collet for ashort period :tof time, and the stock may walk backward a small amountfrom the desired fedout position. If the collet jaws should then beclamped and if the machine should proceed through a full cycle of:indexed automatic operation, at least one piece of stock may have beenso short as to require rejection.

In order to avoid this "sort -of Yditlicult-y, vl incorporate into thefunctions controlled Vby the handle -91 meansfor assuring theapplication of a nal incremental feeding thrust as the handle 91 isrreturnedtto its .normal position A. In the form shown, this additionalmove@ ment is derived from contrast l.in coaction of the abovenoteddetent 94, on the one hand (position A) with the enlarged .detent recess97 in the hub of handle 91, and on the other hand (positions B and C)with the smaller detent recesses 95-96. It will be appreciated lthat,when in the normal position A and as shown in full in Fig. 3, the handle91 is urged by spring 98 to its furthest forward longitudinal extreme;however, when actuating handle 91 into either position B or C, the verymuch more limited detent recess 95-96 (Fig. 2) will not permit handle.91, and withit bar v47, to assume such a forward position. The iresultyis, in .positions B and C, to retain handle 91 and lbar 47 in aslightly drawnbaek position. Now, 'since assumption of any drawnbackposition is accompanied by one-'way-clutch engage- -ment at 118, -thefeed slide '.39 will be incrementally withdrawn against the action :ofspring 51, whenever .handle 91 is .moved from `position .A to position B(or position C). Because this action takes place in moving fromlposition A `to position B, 'the feed 'shoe 40 'is thereby relieved fromdriving abutment with thrust ring 33 before the feed-shoe shift abutment'110 can actuate feed-shoe lever 107; easy yretraction of lever 107 isthus Vassured Awhen shifting handle y'91 to position C. Conversely, inshifting 'the Acontrol lever 91 'from position C to position B, andthereafter to .position A, 'the first 'function to occur is the movementof feed shoe 40 back into 'feeding position, aligned with thrust ring.33. Continued motion of lever 91 allows .stock-feed spring 5.1 (throughslide 39 and collar 125 and vbar 47) to vdri-ve the recess .97 of handleV91 down overdetent 94, thus .incrementally feeding .the said vslide 39.and driving feed shoe 40 ,.rmly .against thrust ring 33; thisincremental forward movement is sufficient to take up anyI slack invthechain r'of feed parts .and .holds .the feed tube -32 and the new'bar of stock 'into 4limiting abutment with the "stock stop 20 (againstwhich the bar has been bumped).

lated functions are modified and multiplied by other controls, such asat S-126. i,

ARelations Determined by Setting o Hand Crank 91 (and res positioningofthe single bar 47) ponsive to angular and axial Position A-Normal,automatic operation Position B-Setup, semiautomatic operation PositionC-Restocking at loading station Feed-slide clutch 118 Feed shoe 40Switch 75 (camshaft-clutch con- Swii'gllil (control of motor 18)-.

Free ol' guide and control bar 47. Aligned with thrust ring 33 Innormally closed position,

as long latchcd at 70-71. In normally closed positlon Engagcable withbar 47 Aligned with tlirust ring 33.-..

Not closed, unless arm 91 has first been to position C. In normallyclosed position....

Free of guide and control bar Retracted out of alignment with ring 33.

In normally closed position;

if open, will be closed.

Opened, to stop motor 18.

Loosely engageable with 89 Latch members 70-71 Poised (as in Fig. 2) fortrip Same relation as for Position release on engagement of A, unlesslatch has been inresponse to spring 73.

(i3-65. tripped; crank 91 can move from A to B without disturbingrelation oi 70-71 i! these latch members have not been tripped; firmlyengaged at 89', only when going from position C to position B.Detentcamtl Spring 98 keeps bar 47in for- Feed Slide 39 incrementallyFeed slide 39 held 1n mward position. drawn back. crerirentallydrawn-back pos ion. Stop 99 At limit 101 e. At limit 100.

For purposes of simplifying the drawingsand the description, I haveshown and described my invention in application to a single-index typeof machine wherein each spindle is indexed a single station for eachoperation. It will be understood, however, that the presently describedform may be readily applied to multiple-index machines, such as thosewhich perform duplicate operations simultaneously on two or morespindles and in which each index operation involves a spindledisplacement of two or more stations.

It will be seen that I have described an ingenious mechanism forimproving the e-liiciency of bar machines, particularly automaticallyindexed multiple-spindle bar machines. With the features provided by myinvention there need be a minimum of time consumed in setting up themachine and in restocking a spindle in which the stock has beenexhausted. My invention also provides assurance that stock will beconsumed to the maximum extent possible. Simplicity of operation isassured by the employment of a multi-purpose single control means, withan incremental feed-and-hold feature that may materially reduce thenumber of rejects due to insuiiicient feeding, following anyinterruption of automatic operation of the machine.

While I have described my invention in detail for the preferred formshown, it will be understood that modifications may be made within thescope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

l. ln an automatic bar machine or the like, a frame, stock-chuckingmeans, stock-feeding means including longitudinally reciprocablefeed-slide means for feeding stock to said chucking means,longitudinally acting resilient means urging said feed-slide means in astock-feeding direction, cam means in driving relation with saidfeedslide means against the action of said resilient means and forretracting the same, elongated guide means for said slide means andincluding an elongated bar, said bar being longitudinally slidable insaid frame, iirst abutment means coacting between said frame and saidbar and determining a limit of forward feed of said bar, spring meanscontinuously reacting between said frame and said bar and urging saidbar to the said forward limit, second abutment means cooperating betweensaid bar and said slide means for determining a limit of resilientlyurged forward-feed movement of said slide means, manually operableactuating means for said feed-slide means and connected inangular-displacement relation with said bar, and means including a camelfective upon angular displacement of said manually operable means toeffect an incremental withdrawal of said bar against the action ofoperable means will through said abutment incrementally withdraw saidfeed-slide-means, so that, in subsequently starting the machine, furtheractuation of said manually operable means will assure resiliently loadedincremental feed of the stock until the stock has been chuckcd.

2. A machine according to claim l, in which said bar is journalled in arear part of said frame, and in which said cam coacts between saidmanually operable means and said frame part.

3. In an automatic bar machine or the like, a frame, stock-chuckngmeans, stock-feeding means including longitudinally reciprocablefeed-slide means for feeding stock to said chucking means,longitudinally acting resilient means urging said feed-slide means in astockfeeding direction, cam means in driving relation with saidfeed-slide means against the action of said resilient means and forretracting the same, elongated guide means for said slide means andlimiting slide movement to longitudinal displacement, one of said guidemeans including an elongated bar, manually operable actuating means forsaid feed-slide means and connected in angular-displacement relationwith said bar, holding means including oneway-engaging clutch meanseffectively engaging said feedslide means to said bar and against theaction of said resilient means'and independently of the instantaneousposition of said cam means, said clutch means engageably connecting saidbar and said feed-slide means in one angular position of said manuallyoperable means and disengaging said clutch means for relativelongitudinal movement of said slide means and bar in another angularposition of said manual means.

4. A machine according to claim 3, in which said clutch means includes arolling element, and a wedge carried by said slide means and jammingsaid element against said bar in response to an attempted feed movementof said slide means relatively to said bar.

5. A machine according to claim 3, in which said clutch means includes aball, a ball-confining member longitudinally retained by said slidemeans and keyed to said bar, whereby angular displacement of saidmanually operable means develops corresponding relative angulardisplacement of said ball-confining member and of said slide means, andcam means carried by an angularly iixed part of said slide means inlongitudinally-shifting relation with said ball upon angulardisplacement of said manually operable means between said one and saidother angular positions.

6. In an automatic 'bar machine or the like, a spindle, drive means forsaid spindle, stock-chucking means carried by said spindle,stock-feeding means including a feed tube in said spindle andlongitudinally reciprocable feedslide means for -feeding said feed tube,feed means connected in feeding relation with said feed-slide means,said feed-slide means including a yieldable abutment member in drivingrelation with said feed tube in a retracting displacement of the same,.spring means carried by said feedslide means and opposing yield-abledisplacement of said abutment member with a force less than thef'rictional grip of said feed tube on the stock but sufficient to movethe said tube in the absence of a grip upon stock, a latch and trippingmeans for said latch, said tripping means including a longitudinallyextending bar, a trip abutment longitudinally adjustably positionedalong said bar and interceptable by said abutment member in an unyieldedposition thereof and clearing said labutment member when said abutmentmember has been yieldably displaced, whereby upon interception of saidtrip abutment by said yieldable abutment member said latch may betripped, first disabling means for said feed means and positioned toeffectively disable said feed means upon a tripping of said latch,second disabling means for said drive means, and a single manuallyoperable resetting means for said latch, said manually operable meansbeing manually movable in a first movement from a normal position to anabnormal position and actuating said second disabling means in suchfirst movement, whereby said spindle may be stopped in response to suchfirst movement, said manually operable means being manually movable in asecond movement fromsaid abnormal position to said normal position andbeing connected to reset said latch means during said second movement,whereby upon said second movement of said manual means the functionsdisabled by both said disabling means may be enabled.

7. In an automatic bar machine or the like, a spindle including acollet, feed-finger meansfor said spindle for feeding bar stock therein,longitudinally movable feedslide means for said feed-finger means, and acamshaft including cam means in controlling relation with saidfeed-slide means and with said collet for operating said feed-slidemeans and said collet in timed relation, an abutment member movablycarried by said feed-slide means for thrusting engagement With saidfeed-finger means, said abutment member and said feed-slide meansincluding cooperating abutments determining first and second limitingpositions of said abutment member relatively to said feed-slide means,resilient means carried by said feedslide means and urging said abutmentmember into the first of said positions, said abutment member beingdriven against the action of said resilient means to the second of saidpositions upon thrusting against said feed-finger means when saidfeed-linger means is engaging a piece of stock, said resilient meansbeing sufficiently strong to move said abutment means to said firstposition when said feed-finger means becomes disengaged from a piece ofstock, and longitudinally adjustably positionable camshaft-disablingmeans responsive to the positioning of said abutment member in saidsecond position for disabling said camshaft when the position `of saidmember reflects a disengagement of said feed-finger means from the stockbeing fed, said disabling means being poised for actuation upon amovement of said abutment member from said rst to said second positionand upon camcontrolled longitudinal displacement of said feed-slidemeans, whereby upon feed-finger disengagement from the stock there maybe an actuation of said disabling means.

8. A machine according to claim 7, in which said member includes a shoeto abut said feed-finger means and a crank positioned in accordance withthe position of said shoe, and in which said last-defined means includeslatch means positioned to be tripped upon assumption of a givendisplacement of said feed-slide means.

9. In an automatic bar machine or the like, an indeXible spindlecarrier, a plurality of spindles in said spindle carrier, collet meansand a feed tube for each of said spindles for chu-cking and feeding barstock therein, feed-slide means engageable with feed tubes successivelyindexed into a feed-out station for feeding the same at said station,cam means for actuating said collet means and Said feed-slide means intimed relation at said station, a first abutment shoe carried by saidfeed-slide means for feeding abutment with a feed-tube at said station,a second abutment shoe carried by said feed-slide means for withdrawingabutment with said feed tube at said station, one of said abutment shoesbeing movably carried by said feed-slide means, said one abutment shoeand said feed-slide means including cooperating abutrnents determiningone limit of relativemovement thereof, spring means urging said oneabutment shoe away from the position of engagement of said abutments andin the direction in which said one shoe is to be used for thrusting andwith a force less than the frictional force of engagement of lsaidfeed-finger means with a piece of stock, whereby said one shoe may beforcibly displaced to the position of engagement of said abutments forevery movement of said feed-finger means in said direction as long asthere is sufficient stock to be fed so that said shoe may be in one oftwo positions relatively to said feed-slide means depending upon whethersaid feed-finger means engages the stock, and longitudinally adjustablypositioned means poised for actuation upon a movement of said shoe tothe position representing no stock engagement'and upon cam-controlledlongitudinal displacement of said feed-slide means, said last-definedmeans being connected to disable said cam means, whereby said cam meansmay be disabled while the empty spindle is at the feed-out station so asto permit restocking without delay at the feed-'out station.

l0. A machine according to claim 9, in which said movably carried shoeis said second abutment shoe, whereby said cam means may be disabledafter a withdrawal of said feed-finger means should said feed-fingermeans become disengaged from a piece of stock during such withdrawal. v

ll. In an automatic bar machine or the like, a frame, stock-chucliingmeans, stock-feeding means including longitudinally reciprocablefeed-slide means for feeding stock to said chucking means,longitudinally acting resilient means urging said feed-slide means in astockfeeding direction, cam means in driving relation with.

said feed-slide means against `the action of said resilient means andfor retracting the same, elongated guide means for said slide means andlimiting slide movement to longitudinal displacement, one of said guidemeans including an elongated bar, manually operable actuating means forsaid feed-slide means and connected in angular-displacement relationwith said bar, holding means including oneway-engaging clutch meanseffectively longitudinally engaging said feed-slide means to said barand against the action of said resilient means and independently of theinstantaneous position -of said cam means, a feed shoe retractablycarried by said feed slide means, means responsive to a first angularposition of said bar for retracting said feed shoe when in said firstposition, said clutch means engageably connecting said bar and saidfeed-slide means in a second angular position of said bar, said clutchmeans being disengaged from said bar in said first angular position ofsaid bar, whereby said clutch means will be disengaged when said feedshoe is in retracted position so that there may be no peening of clutchelements when stock is bumped with said feed shoe retracted.

l2. In an automatic bar machine or the like, a frame, stock-chuckingmeans, stock-feeding means including longitudinally reciprocablefeed-slide means for feeding stock to said chucking means,longitudinally acting resilient means urging said feed-slide means in astockfeeding direction, cam means in driving relation with saidfeed-Slide means against the action of said resilient means and forretracting lthe same, elongated guide means for said slide means andlimiting slide movement to longitudinal displacement, one of said guidemeans including an elongated bar, manually operable actuating meansfforsaid feed-slide means and connectedin angular-displacement-relation withsaid bar, holdingmeans including oneway-engaging .clutchmeanseffectively engaging said feedslide means to said barand against theaction of said resilient means and independently of the instantaneousposition of said cam means, a feed shoe retractably carried by saidfeed-slide means, a feed-shoe-rocking lever slidably carried with saidfeed-slide means and keyed against angular movement with respect to saidbar, said clutch means longitudinally engageably ,connecting said barand said feed-slide means in one angular position of said manuallyoperable means and including a clutch element engageable with saidfeed-shoe-rocking lever.

13. `In an automatic bar machine or the like, a frame, stock-chuckingmeans, stock-feeding means -including longitudinally reciprocablefeed-slide vmeans for feeding stock to said chucking means,longitudinally acting resilient means urging "said feed-slide means in astockfeeding direction, cam means in driving relation with saidfeed-slide means against the action of said resilient means and forretracting the same, elongatedfguide'means for said slide means andincluding an elongated bar, said bar being longitudinally slidable insaid frame, first abutment means coacting between said frame and saidbar and determining a limit of forward feed `of said bar, abutment meanscooperating between said bar and said slide means for determining alimitof resilientlyfurged forwardfeed movement of said slide means,manually operable actuating means for said feed-slide means andconnected in angular-displacement relation with -said bar, cam meanscooperating between said frame and said manually operable means `toeffect an incremental withdrawal of'said manually operable means and ofsaid bar upon angular displacement of said bar from a first position toa second position, and means longitudinally resiliently loading said barand said manually operable means with respect to said frame so as toresiliently load the cooperating -elements of said cam.

14. In an automatic barmachine-or the like, a spindle including acollet, longitudinally movable feed-slide means, feed-fingermeanscarried by said spindle for feeding stock to said collet, cam:means for operating said collet and said feed-slide means in timedrelation, said feed-slide means including a-retracting element movablysupported on said feed-slide means, abutment means coacting between saidVretracting `element and said slide means and determining .a limit ofrelative movement thereof, resilient means coacting between said slidemeans and said retracting element and urging -said retracting elementaway from said limit, said retracting `element engaging said feed-lingermeans and directly `retracting the same during a retracting displacementof said feedslide means, said resilient means being of sufficiently weakaction to determine engagement of said abutment means when saidfeed-nger means engages stock for a retracting stroke of said slidemeans, said `resilient means being also of sufficiently strong action toprevent engagement of said abutment means when said feed-finger meansbecomes disengaged from the end of the stock, whereby said retractingelement will `assume one of two positions during a retracting stroke ofsaid slide means depending on whether said feed-finger means is or isnot engaged with stock, and alongitudinally adjustably positionable trippositioned for interception by said retracting element when saidretracting element is in the stock-disengaged position thereof during aretraction of said slide means, said trip being connected to disablesaid cam means when intercepted and being positioned for no interceptionwhen said retracting element is in the stock-engaged position thereofduring a retraction of said slide means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,659,127 Jobert Nov. 17, 1953

